Fiber-rasping machine



Sept. 21 1926. I 1,600,555

' W. F. MARX FIBER RASPING MACHINE Filed may 11. 1926 avwemtoz Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM F. MARX, OF TAMZPA, FLORIDA.

FIBER-RASPING MACHINE.

Application filed May 11,

This invention relates to a machine especially designed for treating the leaves of the sisal, Sansevieria, and pineapple plants or the like fibrous leaves in the recovery of fiber for use in the manufacture of rope, twine or the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel form of rasping roll so constructed that any possibility of the leaves under treatment being wound around the roll to defeat the purpose of the machine, is eliminated. A further object of the invention is the provision of automatic means for operating the double ended jaws or clamps that grip the leaves and move them through the machine to the rasping roll.

Another object of the invention is to so reduce the number of parts of a'machine of this character that it may be easily mounted on a truck or similar conveyance and carried to the field, where the 'leavesare being out, thereby reducing the cost of production to the minimum. 1

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view ofa machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken trans-- versely of the machine, and illustrating the knife operating cam disk in elevation.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmental view illustrating the movable plate that'provides a supporting surface for the material, while it is being cut. I

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 4. 1 -f Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view illustrating one of the clamps forming'a partof the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device includes a frame embodying side bars 5 which are held in suitable spaced relation with each other, which side bars provide a clearly illustrated 1926. Serial No. 198,439.

support for the body of the machine,'through the medium of the uprights 6, arranged at one end of the machine, and the supporting bar 7 disposed at the opposite end of the machine.

The table of the machineis indicated generally by the reference character 8, which table is provided with a groove 9 formed in the upper surface thereof and in which the chain 10 moves, the depth of the groove being such that the upper edge of the chain will lie in spaced relation with the surface of the table for purposes to be hereinafter more fully described.

Extending upwardly from the frame of the machine is a vertical shaft 11 on which shaft is mounted the sprocket 12 which is secured to the shaft by means of the set screw 13 as clearly shown by Figure 8 of the drawings.

The chain 10 operates over the sprocket 12 at one end of the machine, while at the other end of the machine is positioned sprocket 14 over which the chain also moves, which sprocket is mounted on the shaft 15 that is rotated by means of the shaft 16 and power gear 17.

Pivotally mounted on links of the chain 10, are the leaf clamping members 18, each of which includes a lower stationary jaw 19 and an upper pivoted jaw 20, the jaws being pivotally connected as at 21 so that they may cooperate in gripping and holding a leaf to be passed through the machine.

Forming a part of each clamp is a coiled spring 22 'WlllChllElS one end thereof connected to the upper jaw at 23, while the lower end thereofis connected to the lower jaw 24, to the end that as the upper jaw is moved, in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described, the spring will act to snap the jaw into its active or clamping position. The chain 10 operates in the direction of the arrows B as shown by Figure 1, and as by Figure 1, an inclined finger 25 is provided and secured to the table 8, the inclined finger being so disposed that it will engage the upper. end of the clamp to. movethe clamp to its closed position aftera leaf has been inserted between the'jaws by the attendant/of the machine.

'At one end of the machineis a block 26 that has a curved surface to accommodate the curved rasping plate 27 with which the 'rasping roll 28.-oooperates in removing juice spaced ribs 29 that extend the entire length of the roll, between which ribs are positioned substantially short ribs 30that only extend one-half of the length of the roll to the end that at one end of the roll there are ribs closer together than the ribs at the opposite end of the roll.

T he roll 28 is mounted on the power shaft 31 that carries pinion 32 at one end, which pinion meshes with the gear 17 to transmit.

motion thereto, the gear 17 being operated indirectly by means of the power shaft 31.

After the leaf has been treated by the machine, the fibers are cut from the end of the leaf mounted in the clamp, the knife accomplisning this cutting, being indicated at 34:, the same being secured to the arm 35 formed at the upper end of the vertically movable arm 36 that has the roller 37 mounted at the lower end thereof, there being provided a spring 38 positioned between the roller and under surface of the table to normally urge the knife downwardly.

Operating under the table is a disk 38 that has a cam groove 39 formed therein, the cam groove having a shoulder 40 so that when the roller passes to the upper edge of the shoulder, the spring 38 will cause the arm 36 to snap downwardly carryingwith it, the knife 34 to cut the fibers which are held directly thereunder.

In the upper surface of the table 8 and at a point directly under the knife 34 is a. cut away portion for the reception of the pivoted plate ll which is normally urged to its active position, by means of the spring 42 secured to one wall of the cut out portion, the opposite end of the spring resting against the rear edge of the plate 41.

As before stated, the clamps which carry the leaves through the machine are pivotally mounted and are secured to the upper ends of the vertical pivot pins 43 which are adapted to engage one edge of the plate 41 to move the plate rearwardly to its inactive position, against the tension of the spring 412 which, after the clamps have passed, returns the plate l1 to its active position under the knife, to prevent the knife from contacting with the chain links carrying the clamps.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The machine is started and the attendant passes one end of a leaf into a clamp where it is held against movement, the leaf being shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and indicated by the letter A. As the chain moves in the direction of the arrows, the forward end of the leaf will be caught between the ribs 29 and the rasping plate 27, and the rasping roll 28, which is rapidly rotating, whereupon the juice and pulp are removed from the leaf, by the contact'of the ribs therewith. As the chain continues to rotate, the clamps are fed towards the rasping roll 28, and pass around the sprocket 14, the fibers being drawn rearwardly and moved under the ribs 30, which being closer together, clean the fibers of moisture, leaving the fibers suiiistantially dry.

The clamps now pass under the knife 34:. which is actuated in a manner as described and the fibers cut from the end of the leaf which is held within the clamp.

It is thought that in view of the foregoing detail description, a further detail description as to the operation of the device is unnecessary.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, a table, a rasping roll mounted for rotation at one end of the table, means for feeding leaves to the rasping roll, said roll having ribs formed on the periphery thereof, the ribs at one end of the roll being spaced greater distances apart than the ribs at the outer ends of the roll, means for cutting the fibers from the leaves, and means for releasing the leaf. 7

2. In a machine of'the class described, a table, a rapidly rotating rasping roll operating at one end of the table, an endless conveyor operating on the table, means carried by the endless conveyor for automatically gripping a leaf, to hold the leaf while it is passing through the machine, and means a for cutting the fibers from the leaf.

3. In a machine of the class described, a table, a rasping roll at one end of the table, said" roll having long ribs and short ribs, means for delivering leaves to the roll to pass under the long ribs at one end of the roll, said leaves adapted to be pulled rearwardly at the opposite end of the roll, means for automatically cutting the fibers from the leaves, and, means for releasing the leaves from the delivering means. 7

g 4. In a machine of the class described, a table, an endless chain operating on the table, a rasping roll having ribs formed thereon and operating at one end of the table, clamping members carried by the chain and adapted to clamp a leaf to be passed under the roll, said clamping menr bers adapted to swing in horizontal planes, to draw the leaf under treatment back into the machine after it has passed under the roller, and means for cutting the fibers from the leaf.

5. In a machine of the class described, a table, said table having a groove, a chain operating in the groove. and having its upper edge disposed below the upper surface of the table, a sliding member operating above the chain, a knife movable above the sliding member and adapted to cut the fibers from the leaves, and clamping members carried by the chain for moving the leaves through the machine.

6. In a machine of the class described, a table, an endless chain operating over the table, clamping members pivotally mounted on the chain, said clamping members adapted to clamp leaves to be passed over the table, a rasping'roll operating at one end of the table, and undeia which leaves pass, means for cutting the fibers from the leaves, and means for automatically opening the clamping members.

7. In a machine of the class described, a table, a rasping roll operating at one end of the table, ribs on the periphery of the roll, the ribs at one end of the roll being closer together than the ribs at the opposite end of the roll, means for delivering a leaf to one end of the roll, said delivering means adapted to return the leaf to the front end of the machine, and means for cutting the fibers from the leaf.

8. In a machine of the class described, a table, a rasping roll operating at one end of the table, a rasping plate supported under the rasping roll, means for pushing a leaf under the roll and over the rasping plate, and means for cutting the fibers from the leaves.

9. In a machine of the class described, a table, an endless chain operating over the table, clamping members on the table, a rasping member operating at one end of the table, said clamping members adapted to force leaves under the rasping member, said clamping members adapted to draw the leaves in the opposite direction under the rasping members, and means for cutting the fibers from the leaves.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

WILLIAM 'F. MARX. 

